If you are new to technology and the web, it is best to start small. We have found that a few key software applications go a long way towards developing your site. At the same time, you will not be overwhelmed by trying to take on too much at one time. A good place to start is with a good Web Design Program, a Music Notation Program, Graphic Formatting Software, Sound Editing Software, and a File Compression Program. If these terms sound foreign or intimidating, hang in there. We'll be walking you through the main features and some simple, entry-level tasks in each program.
Sibelius and Finale are examples of music notation software. In terms of developing your own web page with music, they are useful for notating your own scores for use on the web and developing midi files from those scores. Both applications are available with educational discounts. The current educational price for either program is currently $300. The variety of uses for music educators makes this well worth the investment. The choice between either program is a personal choice.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
QuickTime Pro is an inexpensive upgrade that you can quickly download from Apple's website. Once you have the program registered, when you open QuickTime Player there will be added features (in other words, it is not a separate application but an enhanced version of QuickTime Player).There are two features of QuickTime Pro that are significant to music educators: 1) you can convert MIDI files to sound files (more details under the Sound page), and 2) you can create excerpts from any sound file.
Currently, the upgrade to QuickTime Pro costs $29.99 through Apple.com.
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Graphic Converter is a useful application that converts screen shots and other graphics into a variety of standard formatted graphic files. Once converted, the graphic file can be imported into Dreamweaver or Flash. Graphic Converter 4.5.8 is affordable (currently $30) and readily available online. It offers a 30-day download trial so you can decide if the program will suit your needs before paying for it. The application is user friendly, requiring only a few simple steps to convert your graphics into usable format.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lemke Software GmbH
www.lemkesoft.com
email: lemkesoft@aol.com
Graphic Converter version 4.5.8
$30 online purchase and registration (also available via mail)
ZipIt is a Macintosh program that compresses and uncompresses files in the “zip format.” You can tell if a file is in zip format simply by examining its name: if it ends in ‘.zip’, it is a zip file.
The zip format is most useful when compressing files destined for your website because not only does it take up less space, but it also packages it up in a ‘suitcase’ that helps Blackboard find its contents. When you make a page in Dreamweaver you may have a file with several .html pages that are linked to numerous graphics, sounds, and files. ZipIt is the tool that will make it possible to maintain the hierarchy of your site.
In addition to being affordable, it is user friendly. When you open ZipIt, you simply drag the files, images, sounds and graphics from your site into the ZipIt. window. ZipIt will ask you to name the new zipped file, and direct it to the index page of your site. When you upload it to Blackboard or a similar course software, you direct it to ‘unpack this file’ within the Blackboard framework. When a student clicks the file link, Blackboard knows to open your ‘suitcase’ and unpacks the files ready to use. You can find a more detailed tutorial on this in the Uploading section.
It is available online for both Mac and PC platforms (for PC the parallel program is called WinZip) at an affordable $20-29. Like Graphic Converter, it offers a trial download before you pay the registration fee.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
MacZipit
www.maczipit.com
$20 online purchase and registration (also
available via mail)
WinZip
www.winzip.com
$29 online purchase and registration
Macromedia Studio MX is an OUTSTANDING set of applications that allow you to create websites with interactivity. The specific applications that we will introduce in this site are Dreamweaver MX, Flash MX, and Fireworks MX. Each program has its own set of tutorials, lessons, references and samples. Although they have many complicated features, with just a few basic techniques you can create impressive interactivity within your website. You can order any of the applications individually, but the suite (which includes the above mentioned programs plus more) allows much more flexibility within the creative design for your sites. All of our samples are created with Studio MX (Studio MX 2004 is currently being released). Our tutorials are fairly basic, so they will still be applicable with the new versions (we hope without too many variations).
Dreamweaver is essentially a website builder.
Flash allows much more interactivity with animation.
Fireworks is a graphics application and editor.
If you are affiliated with an educational institution, you may qualify for the amazing discounted prices available at Academic Superstore.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Macromedia Products
www.macromedia.com
current price is
$850+
AcademicSuperStore
www.academicsuperstore.com
current price: $189.95